Randall’s Pancake House has ‘family’ feel: Mystery Diner

What do you like for breakfast?

Whatever it is, chances are that Randall’s Pancake House in South Elgin has it.

Located at 305 Randall Road (near the Jewel-Osco), Randall’s Pancake House offers both breakfast and lunch and is open from 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week.

According to the restaurant’s website, www.pancakehousesouthelgin.com, the key word at Randall’s Pancake House is “family.”

“We are a family-owned, family-operated, family friendly restaurant in South Elgin ... ,” the site states. “Our restaurant offers a quiet atmosphere, with a nice, warming decor that will make you feel right at home, surrounded by family! Our staff is friendly and accommodating, too, and will make you feel completely welcome!”

That has been the case each time I have eaten at Randall’s Pancake House. On my most recent trip – on a sunny, crisp day in November – I was greeted at the front of the restaurant by its owner.

Requesting a booth, the owner told me he could get one ready in moments, noting the empty booths closest to the door sometimes were affected by a breeze when the weather was cooler.

I was seated in a snap and was shortly joined by a friend from my childhood. We were just two of many in a diverse crowd eating at the restaurant during lunchtime on this particular Thursday.

Coffee came quickly, as my friend and I looked over the menu.

Pancakes (including ones labeled Barry Blast, King Kong and Miss Piggy), French toast (including The Donut, Summer Sunshine and AJ’s Apple) and a variety of crepes, waffles, blintzes, croissant sandwiches, omelets, skillets and more are among the breakfast items to choose from.

I went with the German Benedict, two crispy potato pancakes topped with bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, served with hashbrowns, for $9.25.

Meanwhile, my friend went with one of the house specials, the Breakfast Burrito, which is a large flour tortilla stuffed with scrambled eggs, sausage, green peppers, onions, black olives and cheddar cheese. The meal came with hashbrowns, a side of sour cream and a side of salsa. Its listed price is $8.55 (though my friend ordered her Breakfast Burrito with no onions and with avocado added).

“The food was delicious,” my friend – a former waitress herself – noted midway between our meal. She also appreciated that our waitress stopped by the table often to refill our coffee cups, describing her as “friendly.”

I liked the German take on the eggs Benedict. The bacon and potato pancakes worked well together, and the hollandaise sauce wasn’t too thick, which I have found to be the case at other restaurants.

Lunch items on the Randall’s Pancake House menu include burgers, melts, focaccia sandwiches, wraps, soup and salad. The restaurant offers senior discounts, takeout and catering, according to its website.

And if you stop by the restaurant soon, consider bringing a donation for Toys for Tots. A box for donations sits in the establishment’s entryway.

To learn more, call Randall’s Pancake House at 847-628-6256.

• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Kane County Chronicle. The diner’s identity is not revealed to the restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a different restaurant about once a month and then reports on the experience. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a review.